Monday, January 31, 2011

112th Congress H.R.3: Subjugating Women Further

Republican word cloud. Talking points in color, reality in black. Claiming action for struggling Americans on jobs and the economy, the first bills introduced are: H.R.1 titled "Reserved for the Speaker." Cosponsors: None. Major Actions: None. H.R.2 titled "Repealing the Job-Killing Health Care Law Act." Passed. H.R.3: No Taxpayer Money for Abortion Act. There are 173 cosponsors for this bill, including Democrats and a few women reps. The cosponsors in Michigan are these: Justin Amash, R. MI3, Dan Benishek, R. M1, Thaddeus McCotter, R. M11, Candice Miller, R. M10, Mike Rogers, R. M8, Tim Walberg, R. MI7. This bill was introduced January 20, and has been referred to Judiciary, Ways and Means and Energy and Commerce Committees for a period to be defined by the speaker. What the hell Energy and Commerce has to do with this bill is beyond me, but Michigan's Dave Camp, R. M4 is the new Chair of the Ways and Means committee. Camp has voted 100% along party lines. Energy and Commerce is chaired by Fred Upton, R. MI6. Upton also votes 100% party. While the Republicans talk jobs, small business, middle class, the bills introduced talk Speaker privilege, knifing healthcare reform in the back, and denying women more reproductive rights. HR3's language goes sinisterly beyond denying women's reproductive rights. Introducing the phrase "forcible rape" is diabolical. There is no legal precedent for such a description. But the Republicans want degrees of rape entered in the legislative record. We all know the burden to prove "forcible rape" will be placed on the woman. Boehner called the bill "one of our highest legislative priorities." Abortion funding is an issue that has been legislated repeatedly: escalating the legislative language to include demanding battered, beaten, pregnant women prove "forcible rape" is monstrous. Is it possible that the people who support the subversion of women's reproductive rights as a highest priority, who are apparently willing to personally adjudicate the degree of injuries sustained by a raped woman, who use religion and morality as a shield to dispose of women, will continue to hold their seats in our legislature? That men want this further power over women is patriarchy to the next level; that women have signed on is horrific.